Okay, I bought a 2006 Coach Patchwork Hobo from an ebay seller with a 100% approval rating. She has 80 some positive feedbacks, with about 60 being from buyers. I usually buy from sellers with higher numbers of feedback, that was probably my first mistake.

I paid $248.45 (includes shipping and insurance.) The bag retails for $258 and since no one here has it, I had intended to buy it from coach.com. With shippping and tax, it would cost me over $280.

She says the bag is new with tags. She is very quick to communicate and doesn't seem to be dishonest (but who knows.)

So I got the bag, looks just like the coach.com pic, I have other coach bags, some from ebay some from dept. stores, it looks just as authentic as the other ones.

In looking at the bag, the suede zipper pull has spots on it (discolored) same thing (one spot) on bottom of leather coach hangtag. Could be a defect could be glue, maybe? I don't know. I emailed her about it. She had detailed pics on the auction but of course you can't see small spots. They don't appear to be something that can be cleaned.

She emailed back immediately and offered me a $10 refund. I said I didn't think that was enough but in my heart I was just really disappointed that a bag I paid over $200 for had spots. Am I totally naive?

Anyway, she offered me a $20 refund. At that point I went back and looked at the purse again. I found 4 more tiny spots on the leather part of the handle.

No one but me would probably ever notice these spots, it just ruins the whole deal for me. I asked her if I could send it back and exchange it if she had another one. She said she didn't.

I then told her I would like to send it back. Should I just keep it? Except for the small spots, the bag is gorgeous. She says she is happy to give me the $20 refund, but that doesn't seem like nearly enough.

She finally said (after I pressed her) that I should send it back and she will refund me minus shipping and listing fees, which would be ok with me. I am just wondering if I send it back UPS (with insurance) will she **never receive** it and then I have to go through the hassle of filing a claim.

She says if she gives me the $20 refund that is her profit on the bag. I don't doubt that, it seems to me she would be better off to list it again. She swears up and down she inspected the bag and never saw the spots. Some are more obvious than others.

The trouble is, if I send the bag back, I am still going to want the stupid bag :-) I could buy it off coach.com and pay the higher price, but then I am out the costs of returning and do some small spots that aren't obvious really matter in the long run?

She did tell me if I was going to spend that much for a purse, I shouldn't buy from ebay. I bought another purse frm ebay for approx. that price that was new with tags and it was flawless. I have never had a problem with ebay before.

I am so sorry for this rambling post, but I would love to know what you all think. Thanks for reading and I hope I don't sound liike a nut case. I'm just really frustrated.:sad2:

Originally Posted by Jane Ann

No one but me would probably ever notice these spots, it just ruins the whole deal for me. I asked her if I could send it back and exchange it if she had another one. She said she didn't. I then told her I would like to send it back. Should I just keep it? Except for the small spots, the bag is gorgeous. She says she is happy to give me the $20 refund, but that doesn't seem like nearly enough. She finally said (after I pressed her) that I should send it back and she will refund me minus shipping and listing fees, which would be ok with me. I am just wondering if I send it back UPS (with insurance) will she **never receive** it and then I have to go through the hassle of filing a claim. The trouble is, if I send the bag back, I am still going to want the stupid bag :-) I could buy it off coach.com and pay the higher price, but then I am out the costs of returning and do some small spots that aren't obvious really matter in the long run? She did tell me if I was going to spend that much for a purse, I shouldn't buy from ebay. I bought another purse frm ebay for approx. that price that was new with tags and it was flawless. I have never had a problem with ebay before.

I say either be happy with what you have or send it back. If, as you said, "nobody will notice the spots" but you and that they won't "really matter in the long run," perhaps the seller didn't notice them either. It seems like she's made more of an effort than most sellers would to make you happy. I say keep the bag, enjoy it, and figure that at some point, the bag is going to be in less than perfect condition anyway... a few little spots to start out with, no big deal!

Wait a sec!
She SOLD you the damn thing, then tells you "not to buy from ebay"? What is she smoking?
I would send it back with delivery confirmation and demand a full refund. She said nothing in her listing about the spots, right? Then the item is not as represented.

I know you really want this bag, but the spots are going to bug you forever. Keep looking. :)

Take it to Coach if it isn't an outlet bag they will repair it for you!

Hmm. Just one thing she said that I'd like to disagree with "if you were going to spend that much for a purse, you shouldn't buy it from ebay". I think that's ridiculous! Why is she taking you to task when she was the one who misrepresented her item. When something is advertised as 'brand-new' and never used, I think that people have a right to expect that there aren't any spots on it.

Anyway. I find it odd that she would take it upon herself to judge this -- as if ebay is only for 'cheap' purchases. Obviously, plenty of brand-new and pricey items are sold on ebay everyday.

Of course, ebay is probably not the best way of buying things if you a are a perfectionist because I find the words 'pristine', 'spotless', 'brand-new' etc. are bandied about far too easily.

Also, some sellers won't even notice things that (often) bother me, some sellers just don't think a loose thread (on a new bag) or a slight scratch is a big deal. So it's nice to be able to inspect things yourself, if you want to receive a perfect item.

I agree with Intl that this is what it is. Probably the seller is just less picky than you are. If you can live with the spots, keep the bag. If you can't, send it back.

Lucrezia, my thoughts exactly! That's an idiotic thing to say!

Jane Ann, if it's going to bother you, then return it. I've had that happen, and it annoys me. If you're ok with the discount, then take her $20 and run!

I have also been on the other end. Sold a bag, didn't notice a flaw until I went to ship. The gal actually had no problem with it! But it wasn't a new bag either.

Thanks, guys. I am really conflicted about the whole thing.

If the purse wasn't so expensive, I wouldn't be as upset about the spots, might not have even mentioned them.

Does anyone have an idea what the listing fee would have been for a bag in this price range? Thanks again! :-)

I wouldn't list. Send it back priority mail or ups insured with signature required. Let her refund you. Why fees for ebay, you don't need that hassle either.

I say keep the bag. I understand that condition is very subjective. TO ME, the spots don't sound that bad. There is one on the zipper pull and one on the hang tag and four tiny ones on the leather handle? Sounds to me like something that's going to happen the very first time you use it anyway. Maybe it was a display that had been handled? I don't know. I think you are dealing with a good seller who communicates well, has good feedback and seems to want to make you happy by offering a partial refund (her profit, even!) for tiny little spots that she didn't notice were there.

You said yourself that you got a good deal on a bag that's hard to find in your area? I would live with the few spots and move on.

I think you'll be much happier with the bag in the long run than stressing over it any further, having to deal with the return, more emails back and forth, the whole feedback issue - and all for $20.00?!?!? Heck no! Keep the bag, enjoy it and move on. And please don't leave her bad feedback. She seems to be working hard to make you happy. It wouldn't be fair........

It's not the listing fees that are so expensive on ebay. It's the charge for the final sale of the item. But, if she fills out a claim form, she can have that refunded by ebay if the sale didn't go to completion. So, really she is out only a few dollars ultimately, and if she relists and then sells the item, her listing fee will only be charged once, not twice.

Sorry for the misunderstanding. I don't want to list the bag. If I return it, I would pay her listing fee. Just wondered approx. how much that would be. I have never sold anything on ebay, only bought (LOL.)

I paid over $240 for the bag, shoulda just paid $45 more and bought it off of coach.com. My error!

I probably should just take the $20 and keep the bag. I'm pretty careful with expensive bags though, I don't have stains on any of my bags (yet, LOL!)

Originally Posted by susan-eric

It's not the listing fees that are so expensive on ebay. It's the charge for the final sale of the item. But, if she fills out a claim form, she can have that refunded by ebay if the sale didn't go to completion. So, really she is out only a few dollars ultimately, and if she relists and then sells the item, her listing fee will only be charged once, not twice.

Since I've already paid for the bag, wouldn't the sale be considered completed? If I return the bag, does that void the sale in ebay terms? Thanks!

If you have any doubts in your heart, return it while you still have a chance. You may feel good about having a bag you really want, but all you're going to think and talk about while you have the bag is the spots. Spots. Spots. Spots. I say let it go and find it elsewhere, via ebay or coach. Or like Serendipity said, go to coach and see if they can fix it. If they can't, return it. It will be worth it in the long run.

Originally Posted by print*model

I say keep the bag. I understand that condition is very subjective. TO ME, the spots don't sound that bad. There is one on the zipper pull and one on the hang tag and four tiny ones on the leather handle? Sounds to me like something that's going to happen the very first time you use it anyway. Maybe it was a display that had been handled? I don't know. I think you are dealing with a good seller who communicates well, has good feedback and seems to want to make you happy by offering a partial refund (her profit, even!) for tiny little spots that she didn't notice were there. You said yourself that you got a good deal on a bag that's hard to find in your area? I would live with the few spots and move on. I think you'll be much happier with the bag in the long run than stressing over it any further, having to deal with the return, more emails back and forth, the whole feedback issue - and all for $20.00?!?!? Heck no! Keep the bag, enjoy it and move on. And please don't leave her bad feedback. She seems to be working hard to make you happy. It wouldn't be fair........

I told her from the very beginning I had no interest in getting into a feedback war with her. I like my positive feedback rating as well! :-)